A Rock and A Hard Place
by Avonlea Sawyer
Summary: Kim's worst fears have come true. She has lost one of her family members in her battle against her archenemy. Now, as she struggles to justify her life's work, she becomes uncertain in her abilities. Will she fight, or will Kim fade away? *CHAPTER 3 UP*
1. When It Rains, It Pours

Rain fell in zigzags along the window, creating strange designs on the pane. Red hair seemed dulled in the subdued light, and green eyes were closed as she laid her head against the cool glass. A door opened downstairs, and then closed. She didn't move from her window seat, and she didn't speak as footsteps fell against the hardwood stairs.

"Kimmy?" Tim Possible called as his head appeared at the top of the stairs. "Hey! Your phone's broken."

"No it's not," Kim replied, her voice cracking. "I unplugged it."

"Did you turn off your Kimmunicator too?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"I don't really want to talk to anyone, Tim," Kim replied, tears choking her. "I just want to be alone."

Tim didn't reply right away, he just stood watching his sister in her window seat. She was curled up in a ball, her knees pulled up to her chest. She wore lavender sweats and a gray tank top, which were both wrinkled and unkempt. "How long has it been since you showered?" Tim asked, taking a final step onto the hardwood floor of her loft. Kim shrugged, and sighed. Fog plumed before her face on the window. She reached up and smudged it away, closing her eyes again. "Mom wants you to come over for dinner. Come on, Kim."

"No."

"Fine," Tim replied, covering the distance between them in a few quick steps. He tossed her over his shoulder before she could fight back, and carried her through her bedroom and into the bathroom. He placed her on the counter next to the sink and reached over to turn on the shower.

She flipped her bangs out of her face and scowled. "Look, Tweeb, I can still beat the crap out of you."

"Try it," Tim replied, pulling the shower curtain open. With that he flipped Kim over his shoulder again and set her softly in the shower, fully clothed. She sputtered, and opened her mouth to argue. "Believe me; the water will only help your outfit. Now, I'm going to leave you to get undressed and really shower. I trust you can do it." Kim glared up at him. "I'm your brother, Kimmy. I'm not afraid to do it myself."

"I'll be out in twenty minutes," Kim replied, rising to her feet. "And I'll probably beat the crap out of you."

"I look forward to it."

Tim Possible was sitting on the couch when Kim came down the stairs. She was dressed in blue jeans and a black tank top, with her hair still damp. She wasn't wearing make-up and her shoes were untied. "Mom will kill me if I bring you home like that," he said, taking in her in. "Kim, you can't blame yourself for this."

Tears welled up in her eyes, and she dropped into a chair. She didn't reply; only started to cry quietly. "I don't want to go home," she whispered. Her brother didn't move, he just sat there, staring at her. "I don't think I can."

"You can, Kimmy. Mom needs you to." With those words, Kim started to sob heavily, red hair falling in her eyes. "Mom needs you to come for dinner. She needs you to keep going, and not give up."

"She said that?"

"No. But that's what we see in her eyes every time she looks at us. She needs you."

"She needs you too," Kim whispered, meeting his gaze.

"She has us. She needs her Kimberly."

Kimberly spoke softly, her tears still falling, but quietly. "I'll go, Tim. But I can't promise that I won't cry."

"Neither can she."

Kim vaulted across the distance between them and fell into her little brother's arms; thought now he was much bigger than ever before. Seventeen years old, and now he was the bigger one, comforting her, protecting her. Red hair spilled across his shirt as she buried her face in his chest. He stroked her hair and kissed her forehead, wishing he could shelter her from the past.

"Go, Kimmy," Tim whispered, "Finish getting dressed. We have to get going."

"How dressy are we talking? Evening gown good enough?"

With a laugh, Tim replied, "It's perfect. Thanks." Kim vanished up the stairs, leaving Tim to hope that she could make it through dinner without having a breakdown. Tim's pager went off, and he clicked it on. "Jim," he said as his brother appeared on the screen. "Kimmy is changing, then we're on our way. Is everything set?"

"Absolutely," Jim replied, a smile brightening his face. "I can't believe you actually got her to agree to come!"

"It wasn't easy. Next time the world needs saving, you're on your own, bro."

"Yeah, yeah," Jim retorted. "Mom will be home in about an hour. Will you be back by then?"

"Yup," Tim said, glancing back to the stairs. He could hear Kim moving around as she dressed, her footfalls soft, and her movements fluid. "See you in a bit, bro."

She appeared at the top of the stairs wearing blue jeans and a light blue button down. Red hair fell over her shoulder, and green eyes were lined with a soft sage to bring out the tint. Tim rose to his feet and grinned. "Ready, sis?" he asked. She nodded, although she looked petrified. "It will be fine, I promise."

The front porch lights were on when Tim pulled in to the driveway of the Possible house. Jim waited just inside the door, and opened it as they pulled to a stop. Kim stepped out of the passenger door and looked up at the house that she had spent her whole life in. Lights burned in all the rooms, even her old one. It gave off a friendly glow, warming the chill in her heart, spilling over her like chamomile tea.

She climbed the steps and enveloped herself in Jim's arms, reveling in his security and tenderness. "Hey, Kimmy," he whispered, holding her tight. Tim walked past them, and waited to close the door. After a brief moment on the porch, they stepped into the house. "Mom will be home in a bit. Dinner is almost ready; can I get you a drink?"

"Vodka rocks," Kim replied, shrugging out of her coat. Tim hung it in the hall closet, then removed his as well. "Where was Mom?"

"Work," Tim replied, moving into the living room. "She went back a week ago."

"I can't imagine returning to a job that I had shared with my soulmate for almost forty years alone…" Kim whispered, following him into the living room.

"Speak for yourself," a male voice said from the chair in the corner. Kim turned to find Ron sitting comfortably in the chair. "Hey, KP."

"Ron?" Kim asked, her eyes widening. "When did you get back from Rome?"

"This afternoon. Wade got a hold of me; said it would be in my best interest to be at your house at seven. Here I am." He rose to his feet and crossed the room. "I've missed you."

She held her ground, refusing to yield until he was within arms length. Once he was before her, he reached out and wrapped his arms around her. She sagged against him, her eyes filling with tears. "Oh, Ron," she whispered into his chest, her red hair cascading over his green button down. "I'm so sorry."

Those words seemed to open up a crater in Ron's heart as he cradled her tightly, closing his eyes against the outside world. "You don't have to apologize," he whispered. "I've never blamed you. I'm the screw up, remember?"

He meant it as a joke but Kim didn't laugh. She stood there, wrapped in his arms, listening to his heartbeat in his chest. Headlights flashed across the wall and the whole room tensed as Kim pulled away to shift her eyes to the front door.

Dr. Jean Possible stepped through the front door, wearing her ever familiar lap coat and stopped in her tracks. The room filled with all the words unsaid for the past two months. Jim and Tim held their distance while Ron took a step away from Kim to allow her and Jean their time.

Slowly Kim turned to face her mother, her eyes bloodshot and rimmed with red. Jean Possible stood stock still, her bag discarded on the floor at her feet. "Oh, Kimmy," she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. She stretched out her arms and welcomed her daughter into them. Kim practically collapsed into Jean's arms, and the two of them slid to the floor of the entry hall.

As they sat on the hardwood floor, Jean stroked her daughter's hair and held her tight. "I'm so sorry, Mom," Kim whispered into Jean's shoulder. "I'm so, so sorry."

"Shhh," Jean replied, rocking Kim back and forth. "There's nothing to be sorry about."

"It was my fault, Mom."

Jean pulled away enough to look at her, green eyes overflowing with tears. "No. Never. You did what you could. That was all we ever asked of you."

"But Dad was counting on me," Kim sobbed, "And I let him down!"

Jean leaned back, holding Kim's head in her hands. Green eyes flashed silver as she said sternly, "No! Kimberly Anne, you did NOT let your father down! You saved THE WORLD!"

"But I killed my FATHER!" Kim screamed, collapsing. In two months she had not said those words aloud. For those two months she had left them bottled up inside, allowing them to eat away at her rotting insides. She began to shake violently as she gasped for air.

Behind her, Ron made a move to help, but froze. This was about Jean and Kim, but a part of him died when he heard Kim cry. Behind Jean, Tim and Jim flinched but did not move. Jean stroked her daughter's hair, crying quietly. "Baby girl, you didn't kill your father," she whispered, leaning down to kiss her hair. "You had a split second choice to make, and you chose the world. Your father understood that. He loved you, and he needed you to save the world."

"Mom," Kim whispered, breathing heavily from where she lay on the floor. "I should have saved Dad."

"Saved him for what? If you hadn't stopped that satellite, none of us would be here today," Ron spit out without thinking. Kim and Jean both looked up startled, as if they had forgotten that they were not alone. "Sorry," he whispered, stepping back.

"No," Jean Possible replied. "Ron's right, Kimmy. If you had saved James then we wouldn't have each other." Kim's green eyes did not shift from Ron at all, even when Jean turned away. He held her gaze for a long moment, and she felt something cascade over her. Something akin to comfort.

Jean released Kim, allowing her to stand up. Ron did not step forward again. "Baby," Jean continued, rising to her feet. "I'm going to go see to dinner. Relax, please." Kim nodded, turning away from Ron to nod. "Jim, Tim, some help?" Jean said, motioning to the kitchen.

Both men vanished behind their mother, leaving Ron and Kim alone in the open foyer.

"Ron," she began, taking a step forward. "I don't know…"

But she did not finish her sentence before Ron had his arms around her. She curled herself into him, letting her face disappear beneath a curtain of hair. He reached up and tucked the rogue strands behind her ear. "You shouldn't hide that face." She smiled faintly, and tilted her face up to look at him. "My God, I've missed you," he whispered.

"I've missed you too." They were silent for a long moment before Kim continued, "How was Rome?"

"I don't want to talk about Rome," Ron replied, his voice deepening with a tone that she could not place. "I want to talk about you." Questions filled her eyes, but she did not speak. "I can't figure out how I've lived through the past two months without you."

"Ron," Kim whispered. "Please, don't."

"Don't what? Don't tell you that I'm an idiot sidekick that relies on his mole rat to save the world? Because that's what I've been doing."

"Don't tell me that you're in love with me," she replied, closing her eyes.

He leaned his forehead down to meet hers and closed his eyes as well. "I won't. Not yet,' he said softly, sighing. A tear slid down her already red and swollen cheek. "But I will."

"I know, Ron, I know."

"Hey, guys," Tim called from the kitchen. "Dinner's ready!"

"Coming," Kim called faintly, pulling away slightly. "We'll talk about this later, right?"

With a sharp nod, he turned to lead her into the kitchen. But he never dropped his arm, it stayed around her waist.

Long after dinner was over, Kim sat perched on the counter by the sink while Jean washed the dishes. "Mom," Kim said, tossing red hair over her shoulder. "What is it like being at work without Dad?"

For a long moment Jean just scrubbed at a dish. Then with a sigh, she replied, "Like I'm missing an arm, or a leg. I used to think of something and he was one step ahead of me, always with what I needed. Now I feel like I'm a step behind."

"Mom," she continued, picking up a glass to look through the contorted image. "I don't think I can go back to work."

"Well, Kimmy," Jean said, looking up from the sink. "You need to do what you think is best. If you don't want to be part of Team Possible, then don't. But don't do it because of what happened. Do it because you want something else." Kim put the glass back down and looked at her mother. "Do it because there's something else that is more important than the team."

"There's nothing more important to me then Ron and the boys, Mom. But I can't help but…"

"Second guess your every choice? Wonder if the next thing you do with destroy someone you love? Shake the fear that some time in the near future, you're going to be faced with a decision that you can't make?" Kim nodded. "Now you know how it feels to be a parent. Your father knew how hard it must have been to make that choice. He's made it before."

"But he made the right choice," Kim said.

"He didn't think so at the time, but yes, he did. The same goes for you." Jean closed the dishwasher, and leaned against the counter beside her daughter. "Only you can decide what you want, Kimmy. All I can do is support that."

"Thanks Mom," she replied, leaning against her shoulder.

"Anything else bothering you, baby?" Jean asked, turning her head to plant a kiss on her daughter's forehead.

"Ron," Kim whispered. "Ron Stoppable."

"How does Ron bother you?" Jean inquired, her voice calm.

"Ron doesn't bother me, really. It's how I feel about him."

Jean Possible turned to face her daughter head on. "How do you feel about him, Kimmy?" Kim rolled her eyes. "No, seriously. When you guys decided to _take a break_ after you graduated, but never actually seemed to stop being close… It threw all of us for a loop, kiddo. So, tell me! Tell me!"

"Mom," Kim growled, rolling her eyes. But Jean could not be swayed, she maintained her eye contact with Kim until her daughter glanced away. "I love him, Mom. I do. I knew it then, but he's so much better off without me. I'll just get him killed."

"I think you have that wrong, Kimmy," Jean replied. "I think Ron will get himself killed without you."

"Everything I touch goes sour, Mom."

"Kimberly, I will not stand for that at all. You've saved thousands of people, thwarted hundreds of foes. You have changed the world since you were a pre-teen. You can do anything! Even save Ron from himself."

"Maybe," Kim replied. "I just don't know if Ron wants us back… Or if we can even do it."

On the opposite side of the kitchen, around the corner, Ron sighed. Kim might not know how he felt, but he did. He always felt that he would be holding her back if he stayed with her the way that they were. But on his mission to Rome he had come face to face with his true self, literally, and had realized what he needed. He needed Kim.

But now was not the time to cross that bridge, first they had to heal Kim's aches. Perhaps after she felt better they would broach the subject. Until then he would settle for being her friend.


	2. Daybreak

In the garage that the twins had turned into a shop, they were sitting around, working on a new and improved battlesuit when Ron came in. He instantly reached for the big screen Kimmunicator that linked directly to Wade. When the young man filled the screen, Ron did not wait for the usual greeting. He just began barking out orders, "Wade. Get me all the information you can drag up on Shego and what she's been up to for the last year, and get it to me asap. Also, can you find all that you can about Tara Misu, she's a woman I ran into in Italy. Get me a readout on that as well."

"Nice to see you too, Ron," Wade replied sarcastically. The door opened, and before anyone could turn, Wade's eyes widened. "Hey, Kim," he said, stammering a bit. "Welcome back."

"I'm not back, Wade. I'm just visiting," Kim corrected, turning away from the screen. "Boys, I need a ride home."

"I'll take her," Ron said, nodding to Wade. "Get me what I need, buddy." The screen blanked out as Ron saluted the twins, and turned to Kim. "Ready?"

She nodded, turning to the boys with a smile in place. "Thanks, Tweebs," she said softly, standing on her tiptoes to hug them. "Really."

"Anytime, sis," Tim replied. "But next time, Jim gets to body slam you into the shower. I'm not doing it again."

Ron's eyebrows arched and he turned to glance at Kim, who was scowling at her brother. "Believe me, you won't ever have to. It wasn't exactly pleasant for me either," she snapped. "Ron, let's go!" The garage door glided up and revealed Ron's sporty silver car, custom built by the Tweebs.

Kim slid into the leather interior and fastened her seatbelt while Ron jogged around and slipped into the driver's seat. Turning the engine over, he glanced her way, and felt his heart speed up. Red hair cascaded over her shoulder, spilling down the passenger seat and as she leaned close to him, it curtained over his arm and sent up a waft of the familiar shampoo.

"Your apartment?" he asked, although he did not need to. He knew her thoughts, and her dreams. He knew her. She nodded, laying her head on his shoulder. "Tired?"

"It's been a little emotional, recently. That's all. Hopefully I can get some rest tonight."

"You will. I think you needed a good emotional outburst or two. We've filled our quota, so you should be fine for now."

While they talked, Ron maneuvered the streets of Middleton, keeping unnaturally still to avoiding jarring Kim, who was still leaning on his shoulder. Finally, the car pulled to a stop outside the lofts that she called home. The building itself had state of the art security and a doorman that was a trained bodyguard. He even carried a weapon.

Still, Ron got out of the car and offered his arm to Kim, who accepted it. In the front door they went, Kim waving to the guard behind the counter. They stepped into the elevator and Ron pressed the button for her floor. "Thanks for walking me in, Ron," Kim said softly. "I don't think I was ready to be alone again."

"No problem, KP. Anything for you."

"I know, Ron, I know."

Outside her apartment, they paused while Kim typed in the code for the door. "Well, I guess I'm off, Kim. Take care, okay?" He said as he leaned over to hug her.

"Don't go, Ron," Kim whispered, latching her hand on his arm. "Stay. Just stay."

"I don't think that would be a good idea, KP."

"No," she continued. "I don't mean anything by it. I just don't want to be alone yet."

"Okay," he said. "Ok. I'll come in." She pulled him in and closed the door behind them.

Sunlight poured through the open industrial-sized windows on the far side of the bedroom. Ron was leaning up against the headboard of Kim's bed, his arm draped around a still sleeping Kim. She had her head resting on a pillow in his lap, her breathing regular, her hair tussled in that adorable bedhead way. He had not slept much, but enough, and he was content to sit there until she woke up on her own accord.

When she had graduated from Upperton University, she had chosen this loft because it was close to her parents and the lab that Wade had set up for Team Possible. When Shego had destroyed the lab in a crazed attempt at Kim's life, Kim had not wanted to give up her home. Now, the Tweebs had set up a lab at the house, and Kim had lived off of her Kimmunicator until recently.

Recently, Kim had been ignoring her Kimmunicator and Team Possible. She stirred, her hair sliding over her face. He brushed the strand away and watched her for a moment. She did not wake. He leaned back against the wall, and sighed lightly. Her room was very much KP, with utilitarian furniture in neutral shades, and one bright purple wall splashed behind the bed. On the cream colored, high-backed chair in the corner sat two stuffed animals, the only remaining proof of Kim's life before graduation. One of them was the teddy bear she had saved from her childhood, and the other was a monkey that Ron had won at the fair they had crashed when they went after Drakken for the final time.

"Ron?" she asked, softly, opening her eyes. "You're still here?"

"Of course I am," he whispered. "You asked me to stay, so I did."

"Thank you." She cuddled deeper into the pillow and leaned into the hand that he placed on her hair. "I hate that lonely feeling. You know the one. When you're staring up at the ceiling in the middle of the night and you know that there's no one beside you."

"I'm familiar," he whispered.

There was a long silence before Kim spoke again. It was not uncomfortable or tense, just quiet. Finally, she lifted her head and said, "What time is it? Do you want breakfast?"

"Depends, do I have to put on shoes?" She shook her head. "Then absolutely!"

Remains of breakfast stained plates on the hardwood floor of the loft, while Ron stretched out on his back and Kim sat in a semi-Lotus posture beside him. "What were you talking to Wade about in the garage last night?"

He looked up at her, hesitant. "Do you want back in, KP? Because I'm not sure I want to pull you unless you're ready."

For a long moment, Kim held his gaze, then she glanced at the large windows and the buildings beyond them. "I'm not sure what I want right now. But maybe… What were you talking about?"

"I ran into a woman in Italy, Tara Misu, she works for the big wig that hired me. Something about her seemed off." She turned back to watch him for a long moment. "What?"

"You've come a long way, Ron," she replied. "Where's Rufus?" She asked, shocked that she had not thought of the little mole rat before.

"He's with Wade. More tests and stuff," Ron answered, sitting up. "I should be going. I've got to get to the gym. I've only got a few days until I go back to Italy."

"You're going back," she asked as he rose. "Why?"

"I'm not happy with how it was left. She really creeps me out."

Kim was silent as he picked up the dishes and placed them in the sink. "Ron?" she asked. When he turned, she shook her head. "Nevermind. I'll see you later."

He nodded, and turned to the door. His shoes sat beside a bench in the foyer, where he laced them up. When he was done, Kim still had not moved from her place on the floor. "Call me if you need me, ok KP?"

"Yeah."

He opened the door and stepped out, but did not let it close. In a moment, he leaned back in. She was still on the floor, staring up at the ceiling. "Hey, Kim," she turned to look at him. "Meet me at Bueno Nacho at noon, ok?" She nodded. "Ok."

He stepped out again and let the door close. Alone on her floor Kim stared at the door. She was going down a strange and twisted path to healing, and she knew that she was taking the wrong way. Throwing herself into Ron so soon after her father's death was an obvious attempt to fill the void with something warm and fuzzy.

In the elevator, Ron leaned against the wall and sighed. His mind had been traveling the same path that Kim's had just found. But he had been thinking about it all night. Everything that she had said to her mother the night before was pouring through his mind. He knew that she needed time and space to herself.

When he was around her, he felt more alive. Even when her world was crashing down. She had always been the strong one, and for once he was her support. When she had asked him to stay the night, his heart had taken wing. Everything fell into place, and she felt complete. He knew that it would mean just being there for her, and nothing else, but it made him feel needed and strong.

He knew he was using her weakness to bring her closer to him, and he felt bad about that. But he told himself that he was helping her, supporting her, giving her the strength that she needed. He headed out past the doorman, who nodded to him, and back out onto the street. He slid into the driver's seat and reached for his built-in car Kimmunicator. The screen beeped on immediately.

"Ron, man!" Wade exclaimed. "Where the hell have you been?"

"Nowhere, dude, what's up?"

"Well, Tara Misu doesn't exist," Wade said explained. "At least not before she joined the SoCrates Corporation. Her first record is her application. Apparently, she won the position in a writing competition. She wrote the best essay on global domination."

"Shocker," Ron grumbled.

"Anyway, she went with SoCrates to Paris and made some interesting friends there. Including one Duff Killigan." Ron arched an eyebrow. "Man, are you wearing the same clothes you were wearing last night?"

"I have more than one red shirt, Wade. Now, does she have any affiliations with Shego? Did you find her?"

"Not yet. What's your deal with Shego all of a sudden?"

"She just crossed my mind recently. It's not important. Just find her."

Wade hit a few keys on his computer and replied, "She vanished from the radar that day, no one has seen or heard from her since." He leveled his gaze at Ron. "As soon as I find her, I'll let you know."

"Thanks. Oh, and Wade, this is just between us." The feed cut out, and Wade vanished. Ron leaned back against the seat and sighed. He needed to shower, but first he had to go to the gym. Even though he had been using it as an excuse at first, he really did need to tend to strength training. He also felt that he needed to work on his karate, Italy had kicked his ass. He turned the engine over and shifted into drive, it was going to be a long day.

Once again alone in her apartment, Kim remained cross-legged on the floor. She laid back on the floor and sighed. Perhaps today she would get out of the apartment on her own, perhaps today she would make an effort to continue her life instead of hiding out. But first she needed to handle something else.

She went to her bedroom and opened her nightstand drawer. From it she pulled her Kimmunicator. Without really knowing quite why, or what she might do once she had the information, she switched it on and connected to Wade.

Within moments, he appeared, sitting at his computer and looking surprised. "Kim," he said, startled. "What's up?"

"I was wondering what Ron asked you to find out for him last night," she asked.

"Ron didn't say anything about you being on the mission," he said, arching an eyebrow.

"I'm not," she replied, feigning a smile. "But I was curious."

Wade looked uncertain for a moment, then he turned back to his computer. "I can't, Kim. I'm sorry."

"If it's Team Possible business, I deserve to know, Wade!"

"It's not. Its Ron's business." He glared at her. "If you want to know, ask him."

"You used to work for me, you know."

"No, we used to work together," Wade replied sadly. "Anyway, I should go, Kim. I'll talk to you later."

The Kimmunicator shut off, leaving Kim alone on her bed. She leaned back against her headboard and sighed. Launching herself back into missions could be an exercise in self-destruction, or it could save her life. At this point she did not know which she wanted more, to self-destruct or to be cured. All that she really knew was that she did not want to spend another moment in her empty apartment. She had wallowed long enough.

She made a rapid choice, startling herself. She flipped the screen on and Tim filled it. "Hey, sis, what's up?" he asked, masking his own shock well. "Are you still in bed?"

"I just sat down. What's up with you?"

He was using his car Kimmunicator, and she could see the empty passenger seat beside him. Wherever Jim was, he was not with his twin. "I'm actually heading over to your place. I was wondering if you wanted to go on a bit of an adventure. No mission involved, just a bit of fun."

"Um, sure. I'm game. What are you thinking?"

"I'll pick you up, can you be ready?"

She looked around her room. The bed was unmade and she had not showered yet, but she nodded. "I was about to shower, so if you want to let yourself in I'll be down in a few minutes."

"Sure, ok. See you soon."

The Kimmunicator blinked off, leaving Kim alone on her bed again. Something in her stirred, her bedroom had been a comfort to her since that fateful day two months ago. Now it seemed small and uncomfortable. With a sigh she launched herself off her bed and propelled herself toward her bathroom.


	3. Clouds on the Horizon

As she descended from the loft bedroom she found Tim standing in her kitchen, up to his elbows in soap. She stopped to watch him for a moment before speaking, "You didn't have to wash my dishes, kid."

"Yeah," he replied, lifting his gaze. He trailed off for a second. She stood on the third stair up, dressed in one of her mission outfits. While she was in fashion school, Monique had taken it upon herself to provide Kim with several options for mission gear. This one was a sleeveless scarlet shirt with black sweat pants. She wore her long red hair in a braid halfway down her back. For a moment it felt like they were getting set to go on a mission. It felt like before. "You look great."

"Thanks, kid," she replied.

"Did you have company for breakfast?" He asked, placing the two freshly clean plates in the dry rack.

"Ron had breakfast with me," she supplied, hoping she did not blush. Tim nodded and did not push. "So, where are we going?" Kim asked, grateful to change the subject.

"I figured that we could hike Go Mountain," he replied, smiling as he wiped his hands on a dish towel. "What do you think?"

She smiled broadly. "That would be fantastic. I just need to call Ron. I'm supposed to meet him for lunch. I'll cancel."

"If you want to go to lunch with Ron, I'm sure I can find an adventure closer to home."

"No. Really. Getting out of Middleton will be good, just let me call Ron."

She picked up her Kimmunicator and pressed Ron's button. After only a few moments it blinked to the video messaging system that Wade set up once the Kimmunicator system went to multiple frequencies. She smiled as brightly as she could into the screen as she said, "Hey Ron, Tim asked me to go on a hike with him, and I really want to go. Maybe I can get a raincheck on Bueno Nacho this afternoon? Thanks! Talk to you later!"

She clicked off the screen, and turned to her brother. "Ready!" she exclaimed, a bit too happily.

"Ok, our ride is upstairs," Tim replied, "It was landing as I pulled up."

Wind whistled by them as they hung precariously from the rock face of Go Mountain. Below her, Tim took a call on his Kimmunicator. "Yeah, I've got her. We're about halfway up Go Mountain. What's up?"

Kim paused to half-listen, but tried not to hear mission work. After a moment, she tuned him out completely. She did not want to hear anything about missions.

"Ron did what?" Tim exploded, his voice thundering off the mountainside. "Send me a ride, Wade. I'm coming." As soon as the Kimmunicator switched off, Tim leaned back to look up at Kim. "Sorry, Kimmy. We've got to go in."



"What happened to Ron?" Kim asked, instantly angry at herself for getting involved in what would probably become a mission.

Tim looked around, searching for a level space on which to climb to wait for their ride. "We don't really know," Tim replied, reaching for his grappling gun. "Looks like we're going up," he said, "Hold on." He climbed up to where she was perched and reached out a hand. Within moments, they had reached the summit of Go Mountain, where they stood on the front steps of Aviarius' ancient hideout.

"Hard to believe that years ago, we defeated Aviarius and now his hideout just sits here…" Kim said softly, running her hand down the solid steel doorway. "Those were good days, when saving the world wasn't about losing people." Tim just glanced at her, unable to find the right words to say.

"So you can't find him anywhere?" Jim was saying as Kim and Tim stepped into the garage. "Hey, guys," he continued, momentarily glancing away from the large screen where Wade loomed like the monarch in a science fiction movie. "We knew he'd be going back to Italy soon, I mean, he hasn't hung out around here since-" He trailed off, glancing to Kim. "For awhile," his finished lamely.

"None of our people transported him, and his Kimmunicator is off.," Wade replied. "Hey Kim, Tim, I was just briefing Jim." He glanced to Kim. "Are you in on this one?" She shrugged, but sat down. "Okay then. Last I talked to him was this morning, and his car left Kim's apartment building and started traveling toward his gym. It stopped at Bueno Nacho, but it never left."

"He could still be there, man." Tim offered, "You know Ron."

"No, I sent a camera-bot when he didn't answer his Kimmunicator. He's not there anymore. None of my contacts have seen him. He's MIA."

"I'm going home," Kim said, rising to her feet. Tim and Jim rose to intercept her. "No, boys, I'm not getting involved. I'm going home. Tell me when you've found Ron."

"Come on, Kim," Wade called from the screen. "Ron might need your help."

"You just don't get it, do you?" she asked, spinning around to glare at the computer-imprisoned young man. "If I get involved, Ron will die." Tim and Jim moved to intercept her, but she put a hand up. "Don't try to stop me, I might be smaller than you, but I can still knock you out." Without another word, she vanished out the door.

"She won't go far. We took the jet here," Tim began to say. He was cut off by the sound of a turbine engine whining, and the blast of the sonic boom as the jet took off from the driveway. "Son of a bitch," Tim muttered under his breath."She took the jet… She's still got her nerves."

"We'll get it back later. We can't just strand her here in hopes that she'll help us," Jim offered, turning back to Wade. "She needs to come to grips with a lot of stuff. Including that fact that she made a choice that killed someone."



"You can't be serious," Tim exclaimed, staring at him. "She did NOT kill Dad!"

"I know that, moron," Jim argued back, his eyes flashing. "But he died on her watch, and she knows it. She has to come to grips with it."

"Sometimes," Tim said, "I hate you."

His twin brother glared at him. "I hate you most of the time." They were silent for a long moment. "Let's just find Ron." They both nodded.

Turning back to the screen they found Wade staring at them in amazement. "Is there something going on in Team Possible that I don't know about?" he asked in wonderment.

"Just do what you do, Wade, and we'll do what we do. You find a lead, and we'll get him."

It had been hard to walk out on Tim and Jim when they needed her so much, especially when it came to Ron's safety. But at the same time she could not run the risk of losing herself in another search for a loved one. Most of all, she could not run the risk of losing that loved one because she lost herself first. Of course, stealing the jet had been an impulse, and once she was in the driver's seat it was hard to ignore the pull of adventure. Once in the sculpted comfort seat she was instantly reminded of all of the times that Ron sat beside her, babbling about something on their way to Drakken's lair.

Suddenly, Kim had a flash of an idea, briefly flaring in her head like a nova. She veered the jet off to the right, winging her way to the coastline of Middleton, and beyond it, a small island. In her mind's eye, she saw the island, and the man that she was going to meet.

When her jet landed on the airstrip, she was met by four armed guards and one man wearing a suit. "Miss Possible," the man said, as she stepped out of the hatch. "I am Warden Green, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"You as well, Warden. You may call me Kim, though." He nodded. "I was wondering if I could speak with your charge."

They began to walk toward the compound, flanked by the guards. "Naturally, Kim," Warden Green replied. "Although I must admit that I am shocked to see you. I heard that you had taken a sabbatical from crime fighting."

As they entered the compound, they stopped just inside the door. The room that they stepped into was small, with a set of double cased interlocking steel doors in front of them and behind them. The doors behind them closed, while the others did not open. "Yes," Kim replied, uncertainly. "I'm looking for information regarding a case that my brothers are working. They are unable to come in." She glanced around, "Warden?" Kim asked, uncertainty clouding her voice.

"I was informed by The League that if anyone would come to the compound then they would be able to answer three questions. If they could not answer those questions, they were not 

to enter." He stepped away from her, the guards surrounding her at the same time. "And I was to hold said person until they came to arrest them."

Kim panicked. She knew nothing of these questions, as she had not been in contact with the League since they picked her up from the ocean after her final mission.

"First question," Warden Green began. "What is Ron Stoppable's ultimate fear?"

"Monkeys," Kim responded quickly, without thinking. As soon as it escaped her mouth she was frightened. Ron had overcome his fear to an extent, and it might not be his ultimate fear anymore.

Warden Green moved on to the next question without indicating whether she answered correctly. "Second question," he said calmly, "What is the name of Kim Possible's female best friend?"

"Monique," she responded immediately, this time completely certain.

Again, Warden Green did not indicate if the answer was correct. "Question three," he continued. "Whom did Shego kill in her most recent attempt to defeat Kim Possible?"

A shudder racked Kim's body. It was a physical reaction to the question, and she opened her mouth but no sound came out. Tears spilled over her cheeks as she fought to maintain her composure. Finally, she collapsed to her knees, clutching her arms to her.

Strong arms came around her as Warden Green dropped to his knees beside her. "Ok, Kim. We're done now," he said in his softest voice. "You passed." Through the sobs, she heard these words and they made her cry harder. "Do you need a moment?" She nodded, her hands over her face. The doors before them opened and the guards and the warden stepped through, leaving Kim in a puddle on the floor.

Alone in the room, Kim bent her head all the way down into her lap, her arms sheltering her face from view. She ached so completely from the reaction that she almost could not breathe. She needed Ron. In a mad attempt at finding security, she fumbled for her Kimmunicator, forgetting completely that he was missing. "Ron Stoppable," she sobbed. The Kimmunicator gave her nothing but static. In a moment of clarify, she snapped her head up, the reason she was even here enduring this torture was for him.

Shakily, she rose to her feet, invigorated at this point to continue her intentions. She stepped through the doors and turned to the warden and his men, who waited off to the right. "I'm ready, Warden," she said, sniffling. He nodded, acknowledging her clear desire for her outburst to remain unmentioned.

Without a word, Warden Green led her deep into the compound, down a hallway lighted with fluorescent lights and no windows. "How many charges are held here?" Kim asked about halfway down.

"Just the one," he replied, glancing to her.

"Wow," she replied. "All of this for one person."



"Your brothers oversaw the building of this facility. They're ultimate goal was to prevent the escape of our charge. You're in the center of the compound now," he said. "On both sides of us is seventy feet of steel, surrounded with another two hundred feet of stone. Even above and below, this structure stands."

They stopped before a large steel door, with four separate key pads. Kim turned her back as the warden typed in the codes. "Kim, I'm going to asking you enter your birthdate on the bottommost key pad," he said. She turned and typed it in. "This way we can record who comes to visit and when."

"I see," Kim replied as the door opened. Inside was yet another chamber.

"To exit, you will need to enter it again, on the key pad in this chamber. To exit the inner chamber, use the code that you have from the League," he stepped aside, gesturing for her to enter. "From here you go alone. Be sure the door is closed behind you in this chamber before you exit."

Kim stepped within with a nod, and the door slid shut behind her. Ahead of her sat another, smaller door and a key pad. She used the key pad and the door slid open. Inside was not just a small, dark room that she expected. There were large, plush couches, and bright friendly lights. There was a kitchen and a bar, and even a television.

"It's about time," the gravelly voice said. "I am missing my shows!"

She turned and stared at him. "Doctor Drakken," she said.

"Kim Possible!" he yelled, turning to face her. "What are you doing here?"

"I came because I think Shego has taken Ron," Kim replied, stepping close.

"Who?" he asked, an eyebrow arching. He wore his usual blue jacket, but he seemed an off shade of blue.

"Ron Stoppable, my partner," Kim replied, stepping forward again. "I need to find Shego."

Drakken stepped around her, walking toward a couch. "Why should I help you? You put me here."

Kim turned to face him again. She knew what she had to offer him, but she did not want to. "This prison was made for Shego, not you. If you give me Shego, you will no longer be held here."

"Don't think I don't see through you, Kim Possible," Drakken said, turning to look at her. "I might not be held here, but I will be held. You have no intention of setting me free."

Kim stared back at him, her gaze unwavering. He was right, she would not let him go, but he was no longer her arch nemesis. That realization hit her so hard that the air left her lungs. "Doctor Drakken," she began, her voice catching in her throat. "Shego needs to be caught, possibly even killed, for what she has done to me. If you don't help me I will assume that it means that you helped her kill my father," her voice evened out to a cold and bitter tone. "And that would mean that you will be tried as an accessory to murder."



The blue of Drakken's skin faded to a dull gray. "Murder!" he exclaimed, his eyes widening. "I don't kill people Kim!!" He sat down heavily on the chair. "She went too far this time, didn't she?" he asked, placing his head in his hands. "I'm so sorry, Kim," he finished quietly.

She did not move from her place as she said, "You can help me, Drakken." He turned his face to look at her, the rest of his body perfectly still. "You can help me find her," she continued, hopeful.

"I would need access to my old peers, I can't do that from here," he said sadly. "I'm sorry."

With a sigh, Kim turned on her heel and said, "It's not your fault, Drakken. Thank you for meeting with me."

As she typed her code into the keypad outside the internal sliding door, Drakken said, "Kim, she wouldn't leave the country. Try a few of my old haunts, she would be partial to the first one."

She stepped within the chamber as the door slid closed behind her. She typed in her birthdate and stepped through to the open hallway. Off to her left sat a guard. "Hello, Miss Possible," he said. "The warden asked me to escort you back to the main hall."

"I would like to see your warden, please," she responded. He nodded infinitesimally. Silently they walked the halls of the facility, the guard with his guns, Kim with her thoughts. She needed Drakken to help her, but he was right, he couldn't do it from where he was.


End file.
